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Baron Davis: I chose Knicks over Lakers, Heat

Baron Davis’ desire to play in New York outweighed the chance to play with Kobe Bryant or LeBron James.

The veteran point guard signed with the Knicks on Monday, passing up a chance to join stronger teams because he said he always saw himself playing at Madison Square Garden.

“I always kind of rise to the occasion when I’m playing against the Knicks and playing in the Garden,” Davis said at the Knicks’ training facility. “It’s just an unbelievable opportunity and I’m ready to accept the challenge.”

Not yet, however. A herniated disc in his back has sidelined Davis all preseason, an injury he’s heard could keep him out eight to 10 weeks. But Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni hopes it will be much sooner, and the team is willing to wait for the chance to add a veteran to an inexperienced starting backcourt.

“The first order of business is just get him healthy and make sure that when he is able to play, he’s ready to go,” D’Antoni said. “If we get to that point, which hopefully we will, we’ve got one of the better point guards in the league, just adds another weapon to already a pretty good group.”

The Cleveland Cavaliers waived Davis last week and designated him as their amnesty player so the $28 million he was owed over the remaining two years of his contract wouldn’t count against their salary cap figure. No team claimed him, so he was free to sign with anyone.

His hometown Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat both called, and Davis said he even spoke to players on both teams. But he said his mind was already made up that if he got to free agency, he was going to New York—and he even agreed to accept the veteran’s minimum salary, worth about $1.4 million, to do so.

“Those teams did call and I have a great respect for both organizations, but for me it was just the opportunity to play in New York, play in the Garden, play for these fans, and to play on this team,” Davis said.

The Knicks were looking to fortify their backcourt, where they are slated to start youngsters Toney Douglas and Landry Fields, after waiving Chauncey Billups with their amnesty clause so they could afford Tyson Chandler. Though they continue to express confidence in both, both struggled in the Knicks’ victory at New Jersey on Saturday in their exhibition opener, and they decided to take a chance on Davis without even making him pass a physical first.

Davis said he doesn’t care if he supplants one of them or comes off the bench. And though he’s always been more scorer than playmaker from the point, he’s ready for that to change playing with potent scorers Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.

“A big reason why I came here was because of the front line,” David said. “You just think about two 20-plus scorers on your front line and then a guy like Tyson Chandler, who’s a defensive stopper and a great defensive leader. I think you have the right complements, they all complement each other well and I think that for me it’ll be great to get out on the floor and just play with guys at that talent level.”

Davis played in 58 games last season, averaging 13.1 points and 6.7 assists for the Clippers and Cavaliers. The two-time All-Star has averaged 16.5 points and 7.3 assists since being drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the No. 3 overall pick in the 1999 draft.

The Knicks previously signed another veteran point guard, Mike Bibby, and D’Antoni said they would still like to find another player who can fill in at both forward spots. For now, they believe a healthy Davis, following the big acquisition of Chandler, has them closing the gap on the teams above them.

“We’re getting pretty good,” D’Antoni said. “We can always add somebody, but again it’s a little premature with Baron, we’ll have to wait until he gets well, but we’re pretty good.”

I'm just happy that guys actually want to play in NY now. The culture is finally changing.

And then they mention the Lakers? They look weak as hell, Kobe is their only weapon, maybe Bynum - that's it. Gasol is soft as baby skin and their role playerssuck apart from McRoberts, they're not even the best team in L.A. anymore...

and the Heat...well it remains to be seen whether they are stronger than us.....we have more depth and a true center.

Disrespectful oppinion on the Knicks, like always in the media...acting as if Baron selected the Bobcats over Miami and the Lakers....weaker team yeah, F you journalists!

And then they mention the Lakers? They look weak as hell, Kobe is their only weapon, maybe Bynum - that's it. Gasol is soft as baby skin and their role playerssuck apart from McRoberts, they're not even the best team in L.A. anymore...

and the Heat...well it remains to be seen whether they are stronger than us.....we have more depth and a true center.

Disrespectful oppinion on the Knicks, like always in the media...acting as if Baron selected the Bobcats over Miami and the Lakers....weaker team yeah, F you journalists!

I totally agree with this. I mean, what do the Lakers have? A 30s-something Kobe, an oft-injured immature big & a soft-Euro Big, along with spare parts?

The Knicks have much more than that. Where's the respect?

IF... A BIG IF... If Davis, Chandler, Amar'e all stay healthy, forget about it. A top-4 team in the East & legit title contender. And if they get hot & rolling come playoffs? Wow.

And then they mention the Lakers? They look weak as hell, Kobe is their only weapon, maybe Bynum - that's it. Gasol is soft as baby skin and their role playerssuck apart from McRoberts, they're not even the best team in L.A. anymore...

and the Heat...well it remains to be seen whether they are stronger than us.....we have more depth and a true center.

Disrespectful oppinion on the Knicks, like always in the media...acting as if Baron selected the Bobcats over Miami and the Lakers....weaker team yeah, F you journalists!

yeah i agree, I doubt thats what baron was saying, but it was definitely the idiot writer.

the lakers look like they are on the verge of imploding at the moment

and miami will be the same team they were last year, only difference is they got worse at center, and didnt upgrade at pg.

and wade mike miller haslem are another year older on already breaking down bodies.

so ?

who is next in line

bulls and knicks.

The thing I love the most about our team, is we don't ever seem afraid

reality check -
he could've taken $1 to come play for us, dont matter, hes getting his full check, so stop makin it seem like he made a great financial sacrifice
he definetly prefers a big stage and now hes got the biggest to perform on
he doesnt have to compete with kobe or dwayne wade for backcourt minutes/shots.
enuff said!
but i'd still love it if we got the boom dizzle from his warriors years!

reality check -
he could've taken $1 to come play for us, dont matter, hes getting his full check, so stop makin it seem like he made a great financial sacrifice
he definetly prefers a big stage and now hes got the biggest to perform on
he doesnt have to compete with kobe or dwayne wade for backcourt minutes/shots.
enuff said!
but i'd still love it if we got the boom dizzle from his warriors years!

It's not about shots for Baron now. He has to know that. Knicks have a pretty good duo themselves that are going to take a majority of the shots so that's not a reason he chose NY. With some of the grief the combo of Douglas and Bibby are getting the Lakers and Heat have it much worse at the point. So he would have gotten his minutes regardless of what team he went to. I just find it hilarious that free agents were supposed to flock to Miami and yet every veteran out there seems to be rumored to go to NYC.

Correct reproduction of my message

Did you ask me to join another forum ******* on a paste from YAHOO...Go **** your self

haha titled hey retard

obviously you are new to this forum so ill let that slide

but dont argue in hidden messages, say something so the whole forum can see me dismantle your every weak minded word, you moronic half breed of a knicks fan.

go back to your yahoo forum and let the big boys talk here.

well I respect that you reproduced my message corectly...All I did was was paste the first reply to the article PASTED from yahoo...so let me understand this...everyone who disagrees with you should go ELSEWHERE...I get that. I WAS PLAYING BY THE FORUM RULES . I really expected a private response. I will be your worst nightmare.....
I see you have 1500 posts so this your life and I will let you slide as well this time...
NO MORE HIDDEN MESSAGES ..I PROMISE...Get a life..Get a job...

And then they mention the Lakers? They look weak as hell, Kobe is their only weapon, maybe Bynum - that's it. Gasol is soft as baby skin and their role playerssuck apart from McRoberts, they're not even the best team in L.A. anymore...

and the Heat...well it remains to be seen whether they are stronger than us.....we have more depth and a true center.

Disrespectful oppinion on the Knicks, like always in the media...acting as if Baron selected the Bobcats over Miami and the Lakers....weaker team yeah, F you journalists!

We look better on paper but the reality is that the lakers still have the majority of the players that went to the finals three times and won it twice. The heat won 58 games last year and went to the finals, and we were 42-40 and swept in the first round. I mean I am excited for this season and I think we can beat these teams in a 7 game play off series but we have to actually prove that we are before people say were just as good if not better than these other teams. I see what you are saying but I get why he said that.

We look better on paper but the reality is that the lakers still have the majority of the players that went to the finals three times and won it twice. The heat won 58 games last year and went to the finals, and we were 42-40 and swept in the first round. I mean I am excited for this season and I think we can beat these teams in a 7 game play off series but we have to actually prove that we are before people say were just as good if not better than these other teams. I see what you are saying but I get why he said that.

Agree with you bro, but did you watch Gasol last postseason? He was so weak, like a broken man...and from what I saw against the Clippers and at the Euro Championships (Marc Gasol was Spain's best big) he hasn't recovered.

Artest looks horrible out there, all he had as a player seems to be gone, now he's just an undersized unathletic small forard who can't shoot.

Odom is gone, Shannon Brown is gone.....the Lakers are in big trouble.

I like Baron Davis much better as our point guard than Billups. Billups is essentially a shooting guard these days (see preseason game for Clippers), while Baron has always been a good passer and still is. No Nash or Kidd, but a better playmaker than Billups.

Plus we got Chandler, one of the top defensive players in the league.

I think we're atleast, at the very least one level above 10-11!

We even have Mike Bibby on the bench, a guy Miami had to start last season! And Balkman is a useful hustler too, when given his chance (see preseason game).

I haven't felt this good since 99 while looking at our roster!

I fully believe we can go places this year and next year.

The best sign for us beeing relevant again is the fact that the haters come out again! The media are already downplaying our chances and there is close to no echo coming from other teams in the league......I think they're scared of us, they will never admit it, but they are. We are the only franchise in the history of the sport that went to the Finals as an 8th seed, we're the only franchise that can sell out all seats despite beeing last in their division.

They know what a special place MSG is for basketball and what we're capable of and they hate it, because they can't be a part of it!

I honestly think the only reason he signed with us is because NY is probably the only franchise that would be excited to have him. An emotional guy like Baron needs that kind of love to keep his head up. The league sort of chewed him up and spat him out these last 3 seasons

We look better on paper but the reality is that the lakers still have the majority of the players that went to the finals three times and won it twice. The heat won 58 games last year and went to the finals, and we were 42-40 and swept in the first round. I mean I am excited for this season and I think we can beat these teams in a 7 game play off series but we have to actually prove that we are before people say were just as good if not better than these other teams. I see what you are saying but I get why he said that.

the celtics have to prove they're not too old for anyone to say the knicks aren't better.

And then they mention the Lakers? They look weak as hell, Kobe is their only weapon, maybe Bynum - that's it. Gasol is soft as baby skin and their role playerssuck apart from McRoberts, they're not even the best team in L.A. anymore...

and the Heat...well it remains to be seen whether they are stronger than us.....we have more depth and a true center.

Disrespectful oppinion on the Knicks, like always in the media...acting as if Baron selected the Bobcats over Miami and the Lakers....weaker team yeah, F you journalists!

I dont believe the Lakers or Miami had any interest in Baron Davis past
four-season of injury-prone inconsistency. Great PR promotion by Davis.
The Knicks signed Baron Davis experience to establish a few dominating
offensive-plays by being able to put a trio of scorers in a lineup to win-win-
win in the regular season games.

The media will keep on disrespecting the Knicks untill they witness a consistent co-existence between the two superstars "Amare & Melo".

Real Talk....TD & Fields co-exist great on the defensive-end having
Tyson Chandler in the paint changing oponents shot selection, the trio
of defensive players has established stops. It is much better than what
our two top scorers Amare & Melo has established on the offensive-end
of the court as in design halfcourt pick n roll, catch n shoot behind screens,
or slashing to the basket on a Tyson screen. Some peeps are blaming PG-TD
non-creative passing skills without noticing Amare & Melo are not moving
without the ball, and they rarely pass the ball to teammates in a preseason
game when oponents are doubling Amare or Melo when they get the ball.
It is up to Amare & Melo movement to offset our offense into a weapon when
both players are expecting touches on every offensive play.

Will the addition of PG-Baron Davis or PG-Bibby leading the point improve
our offensive attack?